Dwight Lowery punctuated his short but spectacular San Jose State career Thursday by becoming the first two-time first-team All-American in Spartans football history.

The senior cornerback was honored by the American Football Coaches Association. Cal’s DeSean Jackson was also honored as an all-purpose player.

The association’s team is the first of five potential All-America squads recognized by the NCAA. Last season, Lowery was named to three squads.

Nebraska: Already the interim athletic director, Tom Osborne declared himself the coach until he hires a successor to Bill Callahan, allowing Nebraska’s beloved former coach to visit prospective recruits and try to prevent the program from slipping during the recruiting contact period.

Alabama: A jury awarded $5 million to a former football booster who claimed the NCAA defamed him when it imposed penalties on the Crimson Tide in 2002.

Ray Keller, a timber dealer and fan whom the university severed ties with because of the probe, argued that the NCAA slandered and libeled him during the announcement of penalties by referring to him and others as “rogue boosters,” “parasites” and “pariahs.”

Penn State: Joe Paterno’s salary is no longer one of the most guarded secrets in college sports. The Penn State coach will earn more than $500,000 this year.

The State Employees’ Retirement System released Paterno’s salary more than a week after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that his salary and those of other top Penn State officials are public information.

Florida: Quarterback Tim Tebow was the first player to arrive at practice and the last to leave, working overtime to figure out how to deal with the blue cast on his non-throwing hand.

Tebow broke his right hand during Saturday’s 45-12 victory against Florida State.

UCLA: Patrick Cowan, who hasn’t played since suffering a concussion and slight collapse of his right lung Nov. 3, will start at quarterback Saturday against No. 8 USC.

Connecticut: Coach Randy Edsall traveled to Atlanta to meet with Georgia Tech officials about their coaching vacancy, a Huskies official said. Edsall served as defensive backs coach at Georgia Tech in 1998.

Louisville 41, Rutgers 38: Art Carmody kicked a 33-yard field goal with 20 seconds left as the Cardinals (6-6, 3-4 Big East) came back from 18 down to defeat the visiting Scarlet Knights (7-5, 3-4). Carmody set an NCAA record for most career points by a kicker with a 41-yard field goal in the first quarter. The kick gave Carmody 425 career points, surpassing the record of 423 by Houston kicker Roman Anderson from 1988-91.

Montana State: Former player Demetrius Williams, who prosecutors said was the head of a cocaine ring in the Bozeman area, has agreed to plead guilty to a conspiracy charge. The plea agreement said the conspiracy ran from June 2005 through May 2007, according to court documents. Williams, a former Contra Costa College player, played at Montana State in 2003.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

No. 17 Oregon 80, No. 25 Kansas State 77: Bryce Taylor scored 11 of his 18 after halftime, and Maarty Leunen had 14 points and 14 rebounds to help the Ducks (6-1) hold off the host Wildcats (5-2) in overtime.

In its 105-year history, Oregon had never faced a ranked nonconference opponent on the road, and this was the first time in five years it had faced a ranked opponent outside the Pac-10.

No. 19 Gonzaga 70, St. Joseph’s 65: The Bulldogs (6-1) needed overtime to deny the Hawks (3-2) their biggest win in years.

Matt Bouldin had 16 points, including the go-ahead free throws in overtime, to help Gonzaga hold off host Saint Joseph’s.

No. 22 USC 66, Oklahoma 55: Davon Jefferson scored 23 and fellow freshman O.J. Mayo took charge down the stretch to lead the host Trojans over the Sooners (5-2). Mayo had 11 consecutive points beginning with 6:48 remaining as USC (6-1) opened a 60-48 lead.

Santa Clara 66, Eastern Washington 57: Mitch Henke scored 20 and the Broncos made free throws down the stretch to hold off the Eagles.

Henke hit four foul shots in the final minute for the Broncos (5-1), who led by as many as 16 in the second half against the Eagles (2-6).

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

UC Santa Barbara 95, Santa Clara 82: Sha’Rae Gibbons had 20 points, four steals and four rebounds to lead the visiting Gauchos over the Broncos.

Violent police encounters in California last year led to the deaths of 157 people and six officers, the state attorney general’s office said Thursday in a report that provides the first statewide tally on police use-of-force incidents.

At 6:03 p.m. Wednesday, police responded to reports of the robbery at the facility, 2301 Bancroft way, and learned that a man who snuck into the facility and began prowling through the building, taking cell phones and wallets from victims.

Investigators’ efforts to solve the case led to the arrests of Pablo Mendoza, 25, of Hayward, Brandon Follings, 26, of Oakland and Valeria Boden, 26, of Alameda, the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday.